Mechanism for operating station-indicators



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

y W. T. SNEDDBN. MBCEANISM FOR OPERATING STATION INDICATORS.

No. 416,303. Patented Dec. 3, 1889.

WINNT.

N PETERS. Phclo-Ullmgmpher, Wnlinglun4 D Q (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

l W. T. SNEDDBN. MEGHANISM FOR OPERATING STATION INDICATORS. No. 416,303. Patented Deo. 3, 1889.

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. W. T. SNEDDEN. MEGHANISM POR GPBRATING STATION INDICATORS.

No. 416,303. Patented 1390.3, 1889.

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ivrTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM T. SNEDDEN, OF IVYANDOTTE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY B. BERRYIWIAN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING STATION-INDICATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 416,303, dated. December 3, 1889.

Application filed August 22. 1888. Serial No. 283,501. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern: eating apparatus having any preferred form, Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. SNEDDEN, although I consider a cylinder having namea citizen of the United States, residing at plates pivotally attached to its periphery to \Vyandotte,in the county of Wyandotte and be preferable on some accounts. When em- 55 5 State of Kansas, have invented new and useploying this form of indicator, the cards, ful Improvements in Mechanism for Operatwhich are successively carried over the top ing Station-Indicators, of which the followingr of the cylinder, are tilted forward and rest is a specication. upon a suitable support orsupports, whereby My invention relates to station-indicators the name of the station or street, printed or 6o [o for use upon steam and other railways, and otherwise aixed to the face of the card, is

the purpose thereof is to provide a simple brought opposite to the sight-opening of the mechanism which shall be wholly automatic casing. in action, whereby the names of approaching,` Mounted upon and firmly clamped to one stations shall be exhibited in their order, each of the axles 4 of the car is a shell or sleeve 5, 65 15 at the. proper moment, the motive power of made in two equal parts and held in place by said mechanism being derived from an axle bolts 7, passing through lugs in the ends of 'of the car. the shell, whereby the sleeve is clamped upon It is a further purpose of my invention to the axle as firmly as if it were keyed thereon. provide an actuating mechanism operating Cast upon the outer face of the sleeve, at or 7o 2o in both directions of movement, or, in other near its middle portion, is a worm 8, which words, adapted to a car wherein either end is meshes with a worm-gear 9, said gear being alternately the forward end, and to so concarried by a shaft-10, which I support in a struct and combine said mechanism with the bearing l2, the latter forming part of two parrunning-gear'of the car that it shall not sufallel arms 13, projecting from an. oilbox 7 5' z 5 fer undue wear and deterioration from the mounted on the sleeve 5, hereinafter deentrance of dust and grit to the bearings. scribed, and lying beneath and parallel with The invention consists in the several novel the shaft l0. This shaft, arranged at right features of construction and new combinaangles with the car-axle, extends toward the tions of parts hereinafterfully described, and end ofthe car, where it receives a second 8o 3o then pointed out in the claims. bearing in a drop-bracket 14, having a fork In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is l5, within which lies a short sleeve 16, mounted a side elevation showing my invention,apart on the shaft and having opposite seats or of the car with its runningegear being shown bearings which receive adjustable trunnionin dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a horizontal secpins 17, tapped through the branches of the 85 35 tion taken in t-he plane of the axis of the fork 15. This construction permits the rise shaft, Fig. l. Fig.3 is avertical section taken and fall of the car-body relatively to the in the axial line of the car-axle. Fig. 4 is an wheels and their axles and retains the wormend elevation of the actuating mechanism gear in mesh at one end of the shaft, while it shown in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a vertical section preserves the engagement of the miter-gears 9o 4o taken through the shell containing the fricat the other end.

tion devices. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of Mounted upon or forming part of the hub the miters upon the indicator-shaft, showing of the worm-gear 9 is a sleeve 1S, loose upon the devices for locking the shaft and gear tothe shaft lO and turning freely thereon.

gether. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the Upon this sleeve is rigidly mounted in any 95 45 same. suitable manner a friction-disk 19, inclosed In the said drawings the reference-n u meral upon its parallel faces by two wear-plates 20. l designates the body of a railwaycoach of Against the outer faces of these wear-plates any form or construction. Within the intelie two friction-plates 2l, which, like the rior of said car is arranged any suitable patwear-plates 20, are disconnected from the Ioo 5o tern of casing 2, having a sight-opening 3. sleeve 18. Pinned to the shaft 10, or rigidly IVithin the casing 2 is arranged the indiconnected thereto in any suitable manner, is

a hub or sleeve 22, carrying a shell 23, which receives and incloscs the f riction-plates, wearplates, and the friction-disk '1.9, a face-plate 24 being secured lo the shell by bolts 25, which lie in ribs 215, cast in the shell, their threaded ends engaging with bosses 27,'f'orm ed on the face-plate, which, like the wear-plates and friction-plates, is disconnected from the sleeve 1S. In the face-plate7 as well as in the parallel portion of the shell 23, are formed seats 2S, which receive springs 2U, bearing against the outer faces of the friction-plates 2l, forcing the latter, as well as the wearplates 20, toward the opposite vertical faces of the frietion-disk lil, rigid on the sleeve 18. Both the wear-plates, as well as the frictionplates, extend radially t0 the full interior capacity of the shell, and are notched at intervals, as shown in Fig. 5, to accommodate the ribs 26, by which said parts are compelled to turn with the shell 23 and hub 22.

Upon the end of the shaft l0, near the drop-bracket 1i, is mounted a miter-gear 30, whereby rotation is imparted through a second miter 3l to a vertical shaft 32, which passes upward to the cylinder carrying the name-cards, and is connected therewith in any suitable manuel-,whereby revolution may be imparted to said cylinder-as for example, by a worin and worm-gear, one mounted on the cylinder-shaft and the other on the indieator-shaft.

Projecting from an oil-box mounted on the sleeve 5 is a forked bracket lyingl between the parallel arms 13, by which it is guided and supported against lateral thrustl or strain. mally engages with a notch 35 in the periphery of the shell 23, and when such engagement is made it arrests the rotation of the shell and holds it stationary until disengaged therefrom. The engagement of the lever is effected automatically by means of a springactuated slide-rod 3G, pivotally connected to said lever and supported in alug 37, dropped from the oil-box on the sleeve 5. Springs 3S, coiled on the slide-bar on both sides of the lug, serve to retain the lever at all times in engagement with the notch in the shell and return it to its normal position after :it has been thrown from the notch in either direction.

The worm-gear t) and itshub are inclosed by a shell or drum 3f), as shown in Fig. 3 said shell having a face-plate 40 closely surrounding the sleeve or prolonged hub 1S, carried by said gear, and serving, in conjunction with the shell, to prevent access of dirt, dust, and grit to the gearing. The shell 3.() forms part of a box 4l, mounted loosely upon and surrounding the sleeve 5 in such manner as to prevent free rotation of the latter within the box, which drops below said sleeve sufficiently to afford a space for a suitable quantity of oil or similar lubricant. A sleeve 42, forming part of the shell 39, surrounds the end of the The point of this lever norin which is fulcrumed a detent-lever 3l, having its end f shaft jl() beyond thehub of the worm-gear and gives ample bearing to said shaft.

` As described thus far, the operation of the mechanism is as follows: The cards upon the cylinder displaying thenames of the stations or streets being arranged in proper order and the car being set in motion, rotation is at once communicated through the worm upon the sleeve 5 to the worm-gearfl and the sleeve 1S, carried by said gear and upon which the friction-disk lf) is rigidly mounted. The revolution of this disk by means of the frictional contact upon the wear-plates 20 constantly tends to produce rotation of the shell 23, and thereby of the shaft l0, to which the sleeveis pinned, this tendency being checked by the detent-lever 3l in engagement with the notch in the shell 23.

'At or near each point where the indicator is required to operate an obstruction-bar 453 is placed upon the road-hed in such manner that it will engage the depending end of thc lever 3st, which is provided for this purpose with a rubber or other roll 44, to deaden the sound and relieve the wearof the parts. This contact swings the lever, a3 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and releases it from thc notch in the shell 23, which instantly begins to rotate through the action of the frictiondisk, as already set forth. As the lever is rcleased by the obstruction-bar J:3,it is thrown 5 back bythe action of the springs 38 and rests against: thc rotating shell 23 until the notch th erein reaches the point where the lever may spring in and arrest the revolution of the shell. The operation is repeated at each point where the lever encounters an obstruction-bar, and each revolution of the shaft 10 is communicated to the cylinder carrying the name-cards, whereby said cards are in turn brought to the sight-opening and the name thereon displayed.

The apparat-us thus far described lis specially adapted to cars having four wheels which are turned at each end of the trip, so that the same end is at all times the forward end. In the case of combination-cars, in which the trucks are so connected with the car-bodies as to turn in passing curves, and in cars which are adapted to run with either end foremost, a slight modification of construction is necessary.

In cars of the class last mentioned I interpose a universal joint 45 in the shaft 10, and so construct the same that it shall have a telescoping section lo, to permit the turning of the truck and the slight variations in length of shaft produced thereby. Both these features of construction being familiar to mechanics, no special description thereof is necessary, except to state that the universal joint is interposed between the bearing l2 and the drop-bracket ll, the telescoping section being placed as near the universal joint as practicable.

In cars which run end to end alternately the following means are used for imparting IOO IIO

rotation to the card-cylinder of the indicator: Upon the vertical shaft 32 are loosely mounted two similar miter-gears 3], one meshing with the miter 30 above and the other below the axis of the latter. Lying against the fiat faces of these miters 3l are plates 47, carried by sleeves 4S pinned to the shaft 32, each of said plates having a spring-actuated pawl or pin 49, with which a notched plate cast on the back of the mit-er may engage when the latter moves in one direction of revolution, thereby compelling the shaft to turn with said miter, whereas upon the opposite revolutions of the pawls or pin it will simply ride over or pass in or out of the notch or aperture without effecting an engagement. In this manner a reversal of the rotation of the shaft 10, produced by running the car backward, or end for end, will simply shift the actuating connection from one miter 31 to theother, and will produce revolution of the shaft in the same directionat all times. The card-cylinder may be adapted to this construction by providing it with a double set of name-cards reading in opposite directions, one set occupying one-half of the periphery and the other set the half of the cylinder.

Itis evident that the construction described may be considerably modified without departing from my invention. For eXample,I may form the worm direct-ly upon the axle and the supports and bearings of the shaft, and the Construction of the friction-gearing and its connection with the shaft may be widely changed. I may also drive the card-cylinder by means other than those described-as, for example, by means of a miter on the shaft 32 meshing with a miter on the shaft of said cylinder. I may also employ a single spring` to center the detent-lever 34, instead of two springs. I do not, therefore, limit myself to the use of the special devices shown and described.

`By my invention I provide a station-indicator which is wholly automatic in action, simple in construction,accurate in operation,

and adapted to all forms of railway-cars,-

whether propelled by steam or horse power or otherwise.

What I claim isl. The combination, with a car and an indieating apparatus located thereon and having an actuating-shaft, of a drivin g-shaft geared to said actuating-shaft, a yielding friction-plate connected to and revolving with the drivingshaft, a car-axle, a friction-disk rotated by the car-axle, a detent-lever, which checks the revolution of the friction-plate until said lever is released by an obstruction on the roadway, and means for restoring the detent-lever to its position for checking the revolution of the friction-plate, substantially as described.

2. In a station-indicator, the combination, with a cylinderhaving cards pivotally mounted at regular intervals upon its periphery, of a shaft communicating intermittent rotation to said cylinder, an actuating-shaft having a miter meshing with two similar mit-ers loose upon theindicator-shaft, and gearing connecting the actuating-shaft with the ruiming-gear of the car, the indicator-shaft having rigid plates lying against the ilat faces of the miters and provided with spring-actuated pawls loosely mounted thereon, and the miters having projecting plates upon their backs-provided with notches or apertures to receive said spring-actuated pawls or pins, whereby the revolution of the actuating-shaft in opposite directions will communicate revolution to the indicator-shaft in one and the same direction, substantially as described.

In a station-indicator, the combination, with an indicator-shaft having suitable gearing, of an actuating-shaft geared therewith,a

driving-'gear loosely mounted on said shaft and receiving constant revolution from the running-gear ofthe car, a friction-disk carried by the prolonged hub or 'sleeve of the actuating-gear and acting upon friction wearplates revolving with the actuating-shaft, and aspring-actuated detent Aengaging with the shell carrying said Wear-plates and interrupting its revolution and .thereby arresting the revolution of the shaft without stopping the actuating-gear, substantially as described.

4L. The combination, With a car and an indicator therein having an actuating-shaft, of a driving-shaft geared to the latter, a wormgear loose on the driving-shaft and continuously revolved by a worm o n the oar-axle, a

friction-disk carried by a prolonged hub on the worm-gear, a shell connected to the driving-shaft inclosing the disk and having a spring-pressed friction-plate at each side of the disk, and a spring-actuated detent engaging a notch of the shell and checking its revolution without affecting the rotation of the worin-gear, said detent being released at intervals by an obstruction on the roadway, substantially as described.

5. In a station-indicator, the combination, with an actuating-gear having constant revolution from a gear upon the car-axle, of a friction-gear connection between said actuating-gear and the actuating-shaft, and a detent interrupting the revolution of one meniber of the friction-gear connection and adapted to be released from its engagement at stated intervals by obstruction-bars arranged upon the road, said actuating-shaft having a universal joint and a telescoping section to permit the turning of the truck upon curves, substantially as described.

6. In a station-indicator, the combination, with the car-axle having a sleeve clamped thereon and provided with a worm, of a worm-gear meshing with the same, an actuating-shaft upon which said worm-gear' is loosely mounted, a friction-disk carried by the hub of the latter, frictional wear-plates engaging with the faces of the disk and rigidly connected with a shell carried by a sleeve which is rigid with the actuating- IOO IIO

upon the release of said detent, the worml gear being inelosed by :L Shell formed upon un oilebox or casing' which lSurrounds the Sleeve on the zixle, substantially as dos'eribed. 7. In :L statioirindiefitor, the eonibimition,

with m1 indicating apparatus Consisting" oli' n l cylinder having pivom]ly-numnted enrds nl'. intervals on its periphery, oli' :in inditfnl'orshaft intermittently operating Suid Cylinder, 5

an netuntingshnft geared to the indiezltorthe :ietufitiiig-sliali't and carrying' upon its hub a rigidly-menuted friction-disk, ashell rigid upon the aetimting-Shnift sind containing frietion-plates, und wear-plaies forced by elnstie pressure against the friction-disk, a

end ol.' mid detent being' guided and Supported between parallel arms earrbf'ing :i-

1 bearingl i'or ille zietilnti11g-shaft, whereby it nmyeng'age :i` noleli in the rotating shell, said lever bovine; fr friction-roll on its free end adapted to engage an obetruetion-bzir on the trnel", substantially as described.

S. In :i stalion-indiez1tor, the combination, with :i enr-:mie having n Sleeve elzunped thereon provided with nv worm, of :L worm-gear Supiiorted in bearings carried by Irum spring'- ing;` l'rom L shell or oil-box loosely mounted on the sleeve of the axle :md in n dropsluilt, an aetuatinwgezir loosely mounted on 2 rear on a sleeve carried by the ear-axle gifing continuous revolution to the zietuatinggear, and :t spring-zietuoted delent pivotally l mounted on :i -Support carried by :in oil-box or shell loosely mounted on the Sleeve, the

bracket depending from the eur-body, said \\ormgezir being` wholly inelosed in si shell forming part of said oilbox, Substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof lA nllix my Signature in presence of: two witnesses.

WM. 'l. SNICDDEN. Witnesses:

JAMES L. Nomos, (ino. W. REA. 

